Disaster Recovery - Check List for Returning to Work
Print this check list to help you manage safety on returning to work [pdf, 2 pages, 205kB]
Check your people’s wellbeing, your building, equipment, materials and substances.
Remember to check known workplace hazards as well as any new hazards from damage.
Before returning to work
Action |
Check |
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Advise staff to attend to their own family / whänau situation before considering returning to work.
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Family and home ÿ
Ongoing worries ÿ
Change work arrangements ÿ |
on returning to work
Before commencing normal operations check the safety of the building structure, its utilities, fittings, hazardous substances, machinery and new and known hazards.
If clean up work is required this should be done with safety in mind.
Identify the hazards associated with the different types of clean up roles.
Plan the work and any controls needed including protective clothing.
People carrying out work should be adequately trained and supervised.
Action |
Check |
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Check the building inspection certificate
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Check for any official documentation at the building entrance.
Check building safety
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Have the electricity and gas supplies and fittings been checked by a competent person?
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Are routes of access and egress clear?
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Have lifts been inspected and certified as safe for use?
Check building integrity and utility
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Water tightness, functioning water and toilets, stability of furniture, fixtures, shelving, stored goods or any plant or equipment that was bolted down.
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Competent staff to check all machinery or lifting equipment before use.
Check for new hazards
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Broken glass, exposed or broken asbestos materials.
- Spilled hazardous substances clean up using– appropriately trained people with proper protective equipment and clothing.
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ensure proper disposal of hazardous substance waste (check with local or regional council).
Check status of known hazards and ensuring previous control measures are still adequate.
Check for safe management of hazardous substances
- Check storage, containers, stationary tanks, and bunding integrity.
Check surrounding areas
- Car parking, footpaths.
- Likely stability of neighbouring buildings
- Any hazards on your site that may affect your neighbouring businesses
Emergency Preparedness and procedures
- Check civil defence kits and restock if necessary
- Check emergency contact lists are up to date
- In the case of a fire can you still assemble at your previous location?
- Encourage staff to bring personal emergency kit to work
- Review Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
Aftershocks
- Consider if building evacuation is required and a further structural inspection.
Work
- Ensure if staff work out of the office that you know where they are going and when they are due back.
- Involve staff health and safety representatives and union representatives in discussions as required
- Check building security
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External building inspection certificate ÿ
Electric ÿ
Gas ÿ
Lift certification ÿ
Exits ÿ
Clean Water
Flushing toilets
Safe machinery and
Lifting equipment
Clean up hazards
Glass
Dusts
Asbestos
Other
Review hazard checklist
Hazard substances and containment
Safe route to work
Prepared for the next emergency
Aftershocks:
Do check all over again
Staff whereabouts
Working in good faith
Security |
Employee Well- Being
Action |
Check |
- Inform staff of any special employment arrangements e.g. use of sick leave
- Provide staff with details of any employment assistance programme which might be available
- Consider early staff incident debriefing so people can share experiences and recognize that they have similar responses
- Maintain regular and ongoing communication to all staff as to what is happening
- Meet to ‘check in’ with staff to see how they are going – share stories etc
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Employment conditions
Employee Assistance
Debriefing
Communicate regularly
Meet and ‘check in’ |
Health and Safety Representatives
Action |
Check |
Confirm the role of the Health and Safety Representative to:
- Provide a degree of basic support to managers in the circumstances.
- Check and stock the first aid and emergency kits
- Be involved in the hazard identification check.
- Assist in communicating the updated hazard register
- Advise representatives that they can seek support in their role from other representatives, the company Health and Safety team and their unions.
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Provide support
Be prepared
Identify hazards
Manage hazards
Seek assistance |
